There were worrying scenes after Spain’s Euro 2024 semi-final victory over France as a security guard slipped and inadvertently clattered into Alvaro Morata’s knee during the side’s celebrations.
Spain came from behind to win 2-1 and book their place in Sunday’s showpiece, with Dani Olmo scoring what proved to be the winner after Lamine Yamal’s historic equaliser in Munich.
Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Theo Hernandez were all guilty of squandering inviting chances as Didier Deschamps’ France, who had earlier opened the scoring through Randal Kolo Muani, came up short in their pursuit of a second after the break.
Luis de la Fuente’s Spain side, undoubtedly the standout performers at this summer’s tournament, were jubilant at the full-time whistle but their joy soon turned to concern after a freak incident involving Morata.
In videos that have quickly spread across social media, a burly member of security on duty at the stadium appears to lose his footing in pursuit of a selfie-seeking pitch invader, sending him careering into the Spanish captain.
The security guard in question apologised and assisted in helping Morata away from the scene, but it’s clear the Atletico Madrid forward was in some discomfort.
Pictures show the former Chelsea striker clutching his knee and struggling to walk while being comforted by his team-mates.
‘It looks like he has twisted his knee. That would be the most dreadful luck,’ Gary Lineker said in the BBC Sport studio shortly after the incident.
‘Obviously he was off the field of play, he came off, but let’s hope that’s not serious. No one would wish that on anyone.’
Facing the media after the game, Spain head coach De la Fuente said he was hopeful that Morata would shake off the injury to play a key role in this weekend’s final in Berlin.
‘With Alvaro, we have to wait and see tomorrow. We believe it’s nothing,’ he told reporters.
‘It hurts but we think it’s nothing.’
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